Reflections
by Lady Hiroko
Summary: Sometimes reflecting on your past deeds can help discover your true desires.


A/N: I wrote this thing while I was boredom induced stupor at work (long story short, I have LITERALLY nothing to do). Seriously. I was a little more than a functional zombie. It also took me 15 minutes to write it. So if it's super short, that's why. It IS a one-shot. I have no desire to continue it. Also, this is strictly anime storyline.

* * *

Reflections

When Kubara, the puppet-obsessed Juunishinou, attacked her and Kyo, she was a little hurt that Kyo would have killed her without a second thought. Though she was not entirely surprised. He _was_ called "Killer of One Thousand Men" after all. She was more hurt that he bore the same cross-shaped scar on his back and that he did not admit to it when she told him about it. One the same token, he did not deny it either. That fact alone fueled her determination to collect the bounty on his head and get her revenge.

Kyo, however, lied when he claimed he did not know which one was the real Yuya. Though he felt compelled to tease her at her expense when he said that one was more than enough. It wasn't that. He loved it when he riled her up. She was different. Not the meek women he normally surrounded himself with. Her anger appealed to him more than anything else. Especially when it is directed at someone else. Namely that fool, the so-called "Shadow Master", Benitora. And that is when he felt the stirrings of affection for her. It both terrified and angered him. Affection made him weak. And he cannot afford to be weak. So he strove to distance himself from her.

When she was kidnapped by Akira, she silently hoped that he would come rescue her despite being resigned that he did not care about her. She was surprised that it was Sakuya who rescued her. The same women who held Kyo and Kyoshiro's heart and made her burn with jealousy. It was then she decided which one she was in love with. Not that she would admit it. She was deeply saddened at Muramasa's death despite only knowing him for a few days or so. She was shocked to say the least when she found Kyo sitting just outside her room. She had hoped that by doing so, he returned her affections. Though the feeling was crushed when he threatened her with Tenrou when she compulsively tried to kiss him. But that did not deter very much. Though she was not all that sure why she liked him in the first place.

Kyo surprised everyone, as well as himself, at the rage he felt when Akira announced Yuya's death. As loathed as he was to admit it, he did love her. No one else made him burn with jealousy, fueling the raging inferno of desire to protect her. He just could not resist groping her when she was not paying attention to him. She did not either know or cared about what he had done before Sekegahara, only what he had done _after. _Although, he would not admit it, he enjoyed their bantering. Everyone else wanted him dead or to use him. Yes, there was a time where even she wanted him dead. But that was because of the body he shared. He was sure of that much. He was pleased that she kept the reasoning of the promised bounty so he did not need to find a reason to keep her near despite claiming he did not need them. While Muramasa's death upset him greatly—the man more or less raised him—he was pleased he seemed to approve of her. Even he was not sure why he chose to sit outside her room. Perhaps he just needed to be near her. Though that did not prepare him for her attempt to kiss him. As much as he wanted her to, he could not afford that distraction so, in his typical fashion, he threatened her despite it being an empty threat. He could not harm her even if he wanted to.

Her heart broke when Sakuya claimed that for the world to return to its proper state, Kyo would have to rejoin and become a part of Kyoshiro's soul once more. It was not just her love for him that cried out at the injustice of it all and try to seek a different way. Kyo was a completely different person. He had his own life. His own quirks. His own ambition. It was not right nor fair for him to be erased. And so, she stood her ground on his behalf.

Within Kyoshiro, Kyo swelled with pride that she would defend him. He was torn between having her there to witness what may be his last battle with the Former Red King who was currently "borrowing" his body and having her leave so she would not be in danger. So when she defended him—not that he needed it—that settled it. He fought back for control of Kyoshiro's body and was more determined than ever to reclaim his body back.


End file.
